Search location by ZIP code

NEWS ARCHIVE

2 students arrested, accused of plotting mass shooting at school in Florida

Share

Shares

Copy Link

{copyShortcut} to copy
Link copied!

Updated: 4:11 AM PST Jan 27, 2017

2 students arrested, accused of plotting mass shooting at school in Florida

Share

Shares

Copy Link

{copyShortcut} to copy
Link copied!

Updated: 4:11 AM PST Jan 27, 2017

Hide TranscriptShow Transcript

WEBVTT THERETHIS MORNING.WHAT CAN YOU TELL US ABOUTTHIS PLAN?ALEX: DEPUTIES SAY THATTHE STUDENTS WERE PLOTTINGTHEIR MASS SHOOTING ATTACKFOR TODAY.TWO STUDENTS, A 13- AND14-YEAR-OLD, WERE ARRESTEDYESTERDAY.AND CHARGED NOW WITHCONSPIRACY TO COMMITMURDER.SCHOOL STARTS UP HERE AT8:00 THIS MORNING, AND WEWILL BE TALKING WITHSTUDENTS AND PARENTS ABOUTHOW SCARY THIS NEWS IS FORTHEM.DEPUTIES SAY THAT THEYFOUND GUNS AT BOTH OF THESETEENS' HOMES.THEY ARRESTED A 13-YEAR-OLDAT HIS HOME IN FRUIT LANDPARK AND THE 14-YEAR-OLD ATHIS HOME IN WILDWOOD.THE YOUNGER OF THE TWOSUSPECTS IS THE ACCUSEDMASTERMIND OF THIS.SUMTER COUNTY DEPUTIES SAYHE ADMITTED THE PLAN TOAUTHORITIES ON WEDNESDAYWHEN THEY CONFRONTED HIM.THEY SAY HE REFERENCED THECOLUMBINE SHOOTING AND THEFACT THAT ANOTHER STUDENTWAS PLOTTING WITH HIM.THE OTHER STUDENT, A14-YEAR-OLD, REVEALED THETWO STUDENTS PLANNED ASPECIFIC SIGNAL THEY WOULDUSE TO OPEN FIRE.NO WEAPONS, THOUGH, WEREFOUND IN THEIR BAGS ORLOCKERS AT SCHOOL.SCHOOL OFFICIALS LEARNED OFTHIS PLOT THROUGH OTHERSTUDENTS ACCORDING TODEPUTIES.SOME STUDENTS HAVEREPORTEDLY BEEN WARNED NOTTO COME TO SCHOOL TODAY.THE STUDENTS WHO SPOKE OUTARE THE PEOPLE THAT THESHERIFF'S OFFICE IS NOWTHANKING.DEPUTIES DESCRIBE THEM ASBRAVE AND SAY THAT THEIRHEROIC ACTIONS IN THIS CASEMIGHT HAVE PREVENTED ADEADLY TRAGEDY.HERE AT THE MIDDLE SCHOOL,PARENTS, STUDENTS ANDTEACHERS WILL BE SEEING ALARGER PRESENCE OFDEPUTIES, BUT THE SHERIFF'SOFFICE SAYS IT DOES NOTEXPECT TO MAKE ANY MOREARRESTS.WE OF COURSE WILL BETALKING TO PARENTS ANDSTUDENTS THIS MORNING.IF YOU HAVE ANY THOUGHTS ONTHIS, FEEL FREE PLEASE,

2 students arrested, accused of plotting mass shooting at school in Florida

Share

Shares

Copy Link

{copyShortcut} to copy
Link copied!

Updated: 4:11 AM PST Jan 27, 2017

SUMTER COUNTY, Fla. —

Students at The Villages Charter Middle School in Florida are being heralded as heroes for speaking up and potentially stopping a school shooting.

School officials said they heard rumors Tuesday about a 13-year-old student planning a mass shooting and carrying it out Friday.

Advertisement

The middle schooler was taken into custody and admitted to alorithorities that he and a 14-year-old student were plotting the shooting.

When speaking with officers, the two referenced the Columbine High School massacre in 1999 that killed 14 people.

Authorities arrested the 13-year-old at his home in Fruitland Park and the 14-year-old at his home in Wildwood. Officers also located weapons at the both students' homes.

Both face a charge of conspiracy to commit murder. They've been placed into the custody of the Department of Juvenile Justice.

School officials said they learned of the plot through other students, some of whom said they had been warned not to come to school on Friday.

The sheriff's office is describing the students who came forward as brave and said their heroic actions may have prevented a deadly tragedy.

No additional arrests are expected, but there will be an increased deputy presence on campus Friday.